Franck Ribery, a former Bayern Munich and France winger, retired from football on Friday at the age of 39.
Before joining Bayern Munich in 2007, the 39-year-old played for Galatasaray and Olympique Marseille.
“Dear friends, dear fans, I wanted to make this short video to tell you that the time has come for me to retire from playing football. With you and your support, I was able to make my dream become a reality, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Ribery said on Instagram.
A persistent knee injury forced the 2006 FIFA World Cup silver medalist to retire from the game. Ribery thanked his family, teammates, head coaches, and club staff.
“This is the end of a chapter, my chapter as a player, but not the end of my professional story, you can be sure of that,” he added.
The 35-year-old played for Bayern Munich from 2007 to 2019, winning nine Bundesliga titles( 2008, 2010, 2013-2019), 2013 UEFA Champions League, the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, and the 2013 UEFA Best Player in Europe award.
